Date of Graduation

Fall 12-12-2025

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

College/School

School of Education

Department/Program

International and Multicultural Education (IME)

First Advisor

Dr. Sedique Popal

Abstract

Language attrition is a process in which the gradual decline in proficiency of a language occurs when another language becomes more prominent among individuals, families, and broader societies. This shift often occurs not by choice but by necessity, as speakers are expected to adapt to the other language in educational settings, for employment, and to conform to societal pressures in their new environments. Although language attrition is often described as an individual loss of proficiency, contemporary research reveals a far more complex picture—one shaped by factors that determine which languages are valued and which fade into obscurity. These forces collectively determine whether certain languages remain active across generations and which languages get silenced and eventually lost to the realms of history.

The following literature review examines these dynamics through scholarship from the last decade on language attrition and the factors that influence it, including immigrants' language practices and beliefs, educational systems, institutional policies, and broader political ideologies. Ethnolinguistic Vitality (EV) theory serves as a guiding framework for this literature review, supported by sociolinguistic and educational perspectives that identify specific factors that determine whether languages are more able to be sustained or are more prone to language attrition. The opening chapters introduce the main problem, outline the research questions guiding the literature review, and establish the theoretical framework, methodological foundations, and data collection process for the resources examined in the literature review. Chapter III presents a literature review across the four interconnected dynamics, each tracing distinct pathways through which factors influence language attrition. Chapter IV synthesizes these dynamics and analyzes the research questions among the current literature reviewed. Chapter V concludes with recommendations for future research, practices, and policies to strengthen the understanding and actions that shape attrition.

Download

Share

COinS